WHAT IS A YELLOW SQUASH?

Also known as a summer squash, they are similar in appearance and size to a zucchini.  Whereas their green cousin is uniform in shape, a yellow squash tapers to a narrow top and tends to have larger seeds.  Be careful not to confuse a yellow squash with a yellow zucchini (their shape immediately gives them away).  The yellow squash comes in two types – a straight (pattypan) and those with a crooked neck.  Unlike other members of the gourd family, these flowering plants quickly yield summer squash and can be harvested a few days after they start to form.  And yes, they’re technically a fruit.  But in most recipes these squashes are treated as a vegetable favoring savory cuisine.

WHY ARE YELLOW SQUASHES GOOD FOR YOU?

Called by some the world’s healthiest food, they are rich in vitamins (A, B6, C), and minerals (magnesium, potassium, manganese, phospohrous).  Some of the health benefits of this summer vegetable come from eating the skin as well as the flesh.

WHEN ARE YELLOW SQUASHES IN SEASON?

They are a summer harvest, available from June through late August in the northern hemisphere (December through February down south).

HOW SHOULD YELLOW SQUASHES BE STORED?

Being more perishable, keep them dry and store in your refrigerator for up to a week.  To slow down moisture loss, you can keep them chilled in a bag so long as there is some air flow (not hermetic).  If freezing, slice and blanch the portions and store in a zip lock bag.  The less air in there the better (you can dry sucking the oxygen out with a straw when sealing with mixed results).

WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO PEEL A YELLOW SQUASH?

The knife technique is the same as with a butternut squash, click here to see!

WHY IS A SPORT NAMED AFTER THE SQUASH?

Squash is also a sport very similar to racquetball but with more tennis-like rackets and “squashable” balls.  Invented in the 1830s, it quickly became popular among upper-crust high schools.  The sport was created by teenagers frustrated about not getting laid yet, and so it’s physically more demanding then you might suspect.  Older men with a history of heart disease are recommended to stick to the gourd instead.